Electrical connector



Feb. 17, 1948. H. LOCKTOV ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Sept. 27, 1945 INVENTOR. HAROLD 'LOCKTOI/ 1 BY wwwlm Patented Feb. 17 1948 UNITED S TATES' PATE'N T' "OF F1 CE ELECTRICAL CONNECT-R- Harold Locktov, Berkeley, Calif.

Application september 27, 1945, SerialNo. 18 ,862

51 This invention relates to means whereby conductcrsvassociated with electrical work circuits :maysbe instantaneously connected to or disconnected from conductors associated with =elec- .tricalwsupply circuits. I

.11 isran-object of theinvention to-providean adapter permitting iconnection, -to-a marine type service ,outlet; of any one of ,a variety :of ,dissimilar plug connectors classified as non-marine IQYPQS- .Anothergobjectof the invention is to provide 7 an adapter ,for the purpose :described which will re e v bot ru h and tw st types .of p us sconnectors.

,A further tobiect :-Of the invention is to provide an adapter of the character referred :to which ultimately/compact ;in size and composed of but few parts whichiare sufiiciently substantial to resist damage or gbreakage {due to abnormal rough;handlin g. 1

,Still ,anot-her obj ect of the invention is .to provide an adapter, for use ,on shipboard, which 'wil-lgreatlylessen the work of the {ship's electricians, in assisting land-based repair or .maintenaneelcrews to accommodate their power tools,

whicha e-:u ly'zequipred with standard spade lugs-to the special service outlets associated w th t e hi current dis ibution sy m- ;[Zhe invention '{DQSSBSSES other object .and features of advantage which, together with the Joregcing, will. be ,specifically {brought out :in the detailed description :of the invention hereunto annexed. It is to be understood :that .the "inwengtion is not to be limited :to the specific form thereof herein shown and described 5518 various other embodiments thereof ,maygbe e ployed within the scope of ,the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing: Figure l is .a top ,plan view v.of the adapter of my invention.

powercircuits of the average ship are of a spe-' ill) sockets.

.4 Claims. (01. 1734-343) cial type utilizing asocket adaptedtotreceive a. cylindrical push-type plug which is held in place after insertion by a screw :collar functioning to render the socket waterproof. On numerous 'occasions, land-based service firms are called upon to do repair or maintenance work onthe ships and often, upon arriving on the job, find :that the conventional prong type connectors, with which their electric drills and other such tools were equipped, would not fit the marine type Time then had to be taken by the contractors or ships electriciansto equip-theirwork "leads with the marine type plugs before" work could be started, and in the event that the ship's stores didnot contain extra plugs, a trip ashore was necessary to procure them. I

I-have provided an adapter by means of which any of the generally used standard plugs may be quickly connected to the push type marine service outlets and will provide the usual secure and waterproof connections with the outlets or their mounting boxes. The adapter comprises a cylindrical plugportion 8, composed of suitable material such as molded Bakelite, in which is embedded a pair of relatively insulated and diametrically opposed metallic bus bars -9 which emerge from the plug adjacent its lower end to form opposed electrical contacts M. This plug portion is designed for axial insertion into the cylindrical receiving recess of a marine type socket wherein the contacts H establish connection with suitable corresponding terminals provided in the socket recess. Certain marine sockets are provided with pins or lugs extending radially'inwardly from the recessperiphery, so

as to insure that the plug may be inserted in only one way, and to accommodate thi particular desi n the plug is provided on one side with a longitudinally extending groove l2 to receive the pin or lug. In another design of socket. the plug-receiving recess is not a true c rcle but is provided with a chordally extending flat portion and, to permit fitting of the adapterof my invention to such sockets, I provide the plug portion ,8 ion the side thereof opposite the groove 12', with a chordally and axially extending fiat l3.

Means is provided whereby after the plug portion 80f the adapter has been inserted .into the socket it maybelocked therein and sealed against the entrance thereintoof moisture. Molded into ;the plug portion ii and arranged concentrically thereof at :a position spaced upwardly from the plug end, is a-metallic ring is provided at its ppe nd w h a "ra all extendin annula flange l6 having an annular gasket l1 contiguously engaging its lower face. The position of the flange 16 relative to the lower end of the plug portion 8 is such that when the plug is fully inserted in its receiving socket, and the contacts ll properly engage their mating current conducting elements within the socket, the gasket I! will engage and will be capable of being compressed against the upper end of the socket or the end of a ring-shaped extension ofthe terminal box' in which the socket is contained. Means for compressing the gasket and effecting the lock and seal is provided comprising a diametrically divided ring having an annular flange 3, extending axially and concentrically of the plug, which is provided with internal screw threads l9 engageable withmating threads formed on the exterior of the aforesaid upper end of the socket or ring-shaped extension "of the terminal box. The ring I8 is also provided with'aradial flange-2i, overlyingthe plug HS 1-. and the'twosections ofthe ring are secured toogether'bya peripheralband 22--which may be pressed or, sweated onto the respective sections. f'I h'e assemblythus forms an annular nut which when e'ngagedwith itssimilarly threaded mating element will-both locktheplugin'its socket and .Will forcibly squeeze .the gasket'against the elexment'so as to effect 'a'water-tight seal.

- "Means are provided for effecting electrical con-U nection to the respectivebus bars 9 of a variety of standard type "connector plug elements. The iupper'end of the plug 8, above the annular nut 'fjustz described; isprovided with an integral, diainto 'a-central hub 33- in the; cap serves to secure .the cap and the plug together against relative axial -displacement.- The screw 3-l is inserted in .iplace through a recess 34 extending axially up- .wardly into the plug member 8 from-the bottom endoi the latter. 3 The cap 2'l is provided in ,its. upper surface with a pair of T-shaped aper-r tures 36.7and alsowith a pair of arcuate apertures 37, one of each type aperture beingar- "ranged to openintoal chamber 38 of a pair thereof formed, in the cap. In each chamber isa set of contacts comprising a finger 39, ar-- ranged torbe fengagedby 2. prong inserted into the chamber through that portion ofthe perture 36 ,forming the cross-bar of. th e T, a pair of fingers 4| adapted to be engaged by a prong iniserted through the portion of the aperture 36 forming the leg of the T, and a pair of arcuate fingers 4 2 which are engageable by a curved prong inserted through the aperture 31. All of theforegoing fingers are connected together as an integral unit and 'are'also connected to one of the'bus bars 9.' The cross-bar portions of the apertures 36 accommodate the most common type" of connector plug wherein the prongs are in's'paced relation with their respective broad faces paralleling each other, while the leg por 4 tions of the apertures 36 provide for reception of the less common plug type wherein the prongs are disposed edgewise in a common plane. The arcuate apertures 31 accommodate the type of plug called Twistlock wherein the transversely curved prongs, which are arranged with their concave faces in opposition, are inserted into the apertures after which the plug is rotated relative to the receiving member so as to lock the plug in place. This type'of connector is used extensively in industrial installations;

It will be seen that the head or cap 21 of the adapter provides for the connection of practically all types of plugs which will usually be encountered in the course of the average job, and the adapter is designed with a view toward compactness so that it may be readily carried in the toolkit or in the workers pocket.

- Having thus described my invention in detail, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters'Pat'entis: f I

"An'ada'pter comprising a plug member having *a' separate head member" at one end thereof -provided with recesses and apertures entering said recesses for the reception of" connector prongs, means to connect said plug and head members together, conductors extending longitudinally and within the body of said plug member, said conductors terminating at one end in contacts exposed at theperiphery of and at diametrically opposed points on s'aid'plug' member, said conductors at the other endthereof entering the respective head member recesses, contact fingers connected with saidother end of the conductors and positionedwitliin said recesses to be engaged by said connector prongs, and an'internally threaded ring member concentric with and journaled on said plug member.

2. An adapter comprising a cylindrical plug member having a separate head member arranged in axialconcentricity therewith, said head member-being provided with recesses and apertures entering said recesses for the reception of connector prongs, means to connect said plug and head members together against relative axial and rotational displacement, a pair of diametrically opposed bus bars extending longitudinally of and within the body of said plug member, said bus bars at one end of said plug memher being each directed radially outwardly to terminate at the surface of the plug member'in an exposed contact, the opposite end of each bus bar extending into therespective head member recesses, and contact fingers carried by said bus bars in the respective recesses andengageable by said connector prongs. l

3. An adapter comprising a cylindrical plug member having a-separate head member arranged in axial concentricity therewith, said head member being provided with recesses and sets of apertures entering saidrecesses for the reception of connector prongs, one setof said apertures being adapted to receive parallel and planar aligned prongs and another set of said apertures being adapted to receive relatively curved prongs, a pair of diametrically opposed said bus bars and aligned with the respective sets of apertures in said head member.

4. An adapter for connection to a socket having a receiving recess provided with currentconducting elements and an externally threaded sleeve member concentric with said receiving recess, a cylindrical plug of insulating material adapted for axial insertion into said receiving recess, means to limit the relative positions of said receiving recess and plug during the insertion of the latter into the receiving recess, a cylindrical head member of insulating material secured to an end of said plug in axial concentricity therewith, said head member having recesses therein and apertures entering said recesses for the reception of connector prongs, a pair of bus bars extending longitudinally of and within said plug member, said bus bars at one end thereof being directed radially outwardly of the plug to terminate at the surface of the latter in exposed contacts engageable with the currentconducting elements of the receiving recess, the

other end of said bus bars entering the respective head member recesses, contact fingers carried by the bus bars and engageable by the contact prongs inserted into said head member recesses through said apertures, and an internally threaded annular nut concentric with and journaled on said plug to engage said sleeve member to secure the plug in said receiving recess.

HAROLD LOCKTOV.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of" record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,336,608 Benjamin Apr. 13, 1920 2,152,647 Hubbell, Jr Apr. 4, 1939 2,042,633 Richardson June 2, 1936 0 1,815,741 Richardson July 21, 1931 921,196 Yuzuk May 11, 1909 

